Vending-machine.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

E. s. SGHEBLE. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1902.

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no MODEL.

H llllllull l. H II WWMN\ w I k INVENTOR No. 732,786; PATENTED JULY 7, 1903..

- v E. s. SGHEBLB.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1902.

a SHEETS-SEER: a

N0 MODEL.

WITNE SSES UNITED .STATEs Fatented July *7, 1903 PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE STILES SCHEBLE, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO S. E. WILMORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VENDING-MACHINEQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 732,786, dated July 7, 1903.

Application filed m 1, 1902. Serial No. 114,010. (NomodelJ To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, EUGENE STILEs Sonn- BLE, a resident of Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Impro'vements in Vending-Machines; and I do hereby declare the, following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in vending-machines, and more particularly to coin-controlled vending-machines, an object of the invention being to provide a movable carrier in which goods. of differentprice can be displayed and which can be operated to move any of the goods into position to be removed when the proper coin is dropped into the machine. 7 .1. V

A further object is to provide improved mechanism whereby the prices for the goods in the several receptacles may vary and provide improved coin controlled mechanism which will compel the employment of the correct coin before the goods will be ejected.

A further object is to so construct the ma-' chine as to prevent any but the proper coin operating to eject the goods andto return a misused coin to the operator in the event of mistake or fraud.

A further object is to provide improvements of this character-in which the goods are displayed'in separate receptacles above the vending-receptacles, so that the purchaser need make no mistake in his purchase.

A further object is to provide an improved vending-machine in which the goods vended are inclosed in envelops or like packages having frangible supports or connections, so that they can be torn free and dropped into easy reach of the purchaser.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation, illustrating my improvements, Fig. 2 is a View in longitudinal section. Fig. 3is ahorizontal sectional view, and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views of various details of construction.

1 represents a metal casing, which may be hexagonal, as shown, cylindrical, or any other shape desired. In the casing l myimproved frame or movable receptacle 2 is located and comprises a vertical shaft 3, supported to revolve in a bearing in the bottom ofcasing 1 and having a cylinder 4 secured thereon some distance above its lower end. This cylinder is provided with a series of radial wings 5,v around the upper and lower ends of which rings 6 and 7, respectively, are secured. The spaces between the wings 5 constitute separate receptacles for the goods to be vended, and the goods are car- 'ried in envelops or bags 8, perforated at one end to receive a rod 9, hung from upper ring 6, and bent at their lower ends to rest on the lower ring 7 and prevent the escape of the envelops until ejected by the ejector 31, as will be more fully hereinafter explained. On shaft 3, above the receptacles, a conical disk 11 is secured and is provided with radial inclined partitions 12, forming receptacles 13 directly above the vendingreceptacles for the display of goods similar to the goods in the envelops below and also carry some designation of the price to be paid for such articles. These receptacles 13 can be viewed through a transparent cover 14, securedon casing 1, and through which shaft 3 projects, and is provided with a knob or handhold 15 to be grasped by the purchaser and turn the frame to bring the proper receptacle into operative position, suitable spring dogs or fingers 16 being provided on the receptacles 13 to ride into a notch in casing 1 and temporarily hold the frame 'in the position desired, thus aiding thepurchaser in finding and hold: 0 ing the frame in an operative position.

The front of casing. 1 .is, made with an 0&- set 17, in which is contained the coin-controlled mechanism, and a door 18 is provided to permit of ready access to the same when 5 opened. On the top of ofiset 17 a plate is secured and in which slots 19 and 20 are located and are of just the proper size to receive a one-cent and a five-cent piece, respectively.

Beneath these slots guideways 21 are located and are of the proper distance apart to accommodate just the proper coin. Hence should a smaller coin be inserted it will not travel in the guides, but will drop through onto an inclined platform 22, down which it will slide to an open pocket 23 in the offset and in which the goods are delivered, hence returning the coin to the operator. Communicating with these guides 21 and into which they discharge are inwardly-inclined open chutes 24 and 25 of the one-cent and five-cent guides, respectively, and beneath these chutes a hopper 26 is located to receive the coins when deflected thereinto by shields 27 on the upper rings 0 of the movable frame. These shields are located in proper position on the several receptacles, according to the cost of the goods therein contained. For instance, in a receptacle containing one-cent articles the shield will be in such location that when the receptacle is moved to operative position the shield will be in front of chute 24 to deflect the onecent pieces into the hopper, while the chute 25 for five-cent pieces will be open, and such coins will be returned to the operator, as they will pass entirely over the hopper and fall down inclined platform 22 and into the open pocket 25. When the frame is moved so as to vcnd a iivecent article, the five-cent chute 25 will have a shield 27 in front of it to detlect the five-cent pieces into the hopper, while the one-cent chute 24 will be open and drop the one-cent pieces into pocket 23 if any should be inserted While the frame is in this position.

Below hopper 26 and, hinged thereto is a spout 28, held normally in a vertical position by a spring 29, connected at one end to the machine-casing and at its other end to a looped coin-holder 30, secured to spout 28 and having its looped portion located directly below the discharge end of the spout to hold the coins in a vertical position and on the curved face of an ejecting'segment 31. This segment 31 is secured upon a shaft 32, projecting out through the casing and having a lover or arm 33 thereon to operate the segment, as will hereinafter appear, suitable stops being provided to limit the movement of the arm or lever. A clock-spring 34 is provided 011 shaft 32 to normally hold the shaft in position to set the segment,aud a ratchetsegment 35 is secured on the shaft near its inner end. A spring-pressed double-acting pawl 36 engages ratchet-segment 35 when moved in either directionthat is to say, when the shaft 32 is turned to move ejectorsegment 31 to throw out an envelop the pawl will engage ratchet-segment 35 to prevent the premature return of the ejector; but when the latter has been moved far enough to insure the ejection of the parcel the pawl 36 will pass the end of the series of teeth of the ratchet-segment 35 and said teeth will ride under the pawl and permit the complete return of the ejector-segment to its set position before it can again be operated,

thus preventing more than a single package being ejected when but one coin has been dropped in the machine. To hold the ejector-segment 31 against movement until the coin has been dropped into place, I provide a lug 37 on one side of the segment, which engages the hooked free end of an arm 38, carried by spout 28, so that should any one attempt to move the ejector-segment lug 37 will engage arm 38 and hold the ejector against movement, the hooked end of said arm 38 being moved out of the path of the lug 37 only when the spout 28 and ejector 31 are coupled together by a coin, as presently explained.

On the curved face of ejectorsegmeut 31, at its inner end, a groove or shoulder 39 is provided, whose function is, when a coin is held thereagainst by spout 28 and holder 30, to serve as a coupling and force the spoutinward before it rides from beneath the coin, hence moving arm far enough to permit lug 37 to pass over it and not interfere with the operation of the ejector. As the latteris turned it will support the coin until the end of the segment is reached, when the coin will drop into a hopper 40 and be conveyed by a trough 41 to the interior of the casing, from which the coins can be removed through a doorway at the back or sides, as preferred.

To effectually eject the envelops, the inner end of segment 31 is provided with short teeth 43 to engage the envelops, and to strengthen the latter and facilitate their removal I preferably provide them with a cloth or felt paster 44, which is engaged by the teeth 43 and the envelop torn from rod 9. The return movement of the ejector-segment rubbing against the remaining envelops serves to effectually disengage the teeth from the envelop if they should become caught and compel the envelop to drop into the open pocket 23, to be removed by the purchaser. The envelops in one of the receptacles may each contain five one-cent pieces, so that a purchaser can secure change for a five-cent piece to enable him to purchase one-cent articles.

On each of the Wings 5 guide-brackets 45 are secured to prevent the operation of the ejector-segment until the receptacle is moved to the proper position, and on these brackets inwardly-projecting fingers 46 are located to hold the envelops back, preventing them from sagging forward to interfere with the perfect operation of the machine.

To prevent a purchaser from dropping a one-cent piece in the machine when the re ceptacle is in position for a one-cent article and then turn the receptacle to a five-cent article before operating the ejector, I provide the lower ring 7 between each receptacle with a short lug 46, which moves between spout 28 and'holder 30, thus striking the coin and knockingitout of position into the pocket below.

It will thus be seen that with my improve ments the purchaser can select any goods he desires to purchase, the trays in the top clearly advertising the goods in the receptacles, and when he has decided just what he desires to purchase he turns the frame to bring the proper receptacle into position to be engaged by the coin-controlled mechanism. Then by dropping the proper coin in its proper slot and moving lever 33 an envelop containing the goods desired will be delivered to him in the open pocket below. If the wrong coin is inserted in a slot or if a correct coin is inserted in the wrong slot, they will drop through into the open pocket without operating the machine, or if the receptacle is turned after a proper coin has been dropped the coin will be ejected by means of the fingers 46, as above explained.

A great many changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within 'the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending-machine, thecombination with a receptacle for goods to be vended, of a shaft-,an ejector-segment on the shaft,a hinged coin-spout above the segment, aholder to couple the segment and spout together by means of the coin, a hooked arm on the spout to be engaged by a lug on the segment and hold the latter against movement until coupled to the spout by the coin, and means for turning the shaft to operate the ejector-segment and eject the goods.

2. In a vending-machine, the combination with a receptacle for goods to be vended and an ejector to eject them, of coin-controlled mechanism for the ejector comprising a coinspout, a holder below the spout to hold the coin upon the ej ector,a shoulder on the ejector to temporarily force the coin and spout in one direction and an arm to hold the ejector but moved out of engagement when a coin moves the spout and ejector together.

3. In a vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a movable frame therein comprising a series of receptacles for goods of difierent price, of a coin-controlled ejector for the goods in any of said receptacles, incompletecoin-guides to direct the coins into operative position, and shields carried by the receptacles to complete the proper coin-guide according to the price of the articles contained therein.

4. In a vending-machine, the combination with a casing and a movable frame therein comprising a series of receptacles for goods of different price, of a coin-controlled ejector for the goodsin all of the receptacles when moved into position, an open pocket into which the goods are ejected, incomplete guides for various coins adapted while incomplete to direct the coins to the open pocket, and shields carried by all of the receptacles to complete the proper coin-guides, according to the price of the articles contained therein to permit the operation of the ejector.

5. In a vending-machine, the combination with a movable frame containing a series of receptacles for goods of different price, of a coin-controlled ejector for all of said goods,

coin-guides of just the right size to receive the proper coins, an open pocket into which the goods are discharged and into which a coin smaller than a guide will fall, and shields carried by all of said receptacles to complete the proper coinguide and direct the coin into operation and a guide for the coin, after operation of the ejector, to direct the coin into a suitable receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. EUGENE STILES SGHEBLE.

Witnesses:

J. A. THORNTON, M. M. LITTTEJOHN. 

